Once we were done with
Teahupoo, we were really impatient to arrive in Papeete. Sounds weird
but since Panama it's the first big city we are going to touch. I
don't know if we had maybe too many expectations or if things have
changed, but the first look to the capital was not corresponding at
all to what we have been imagining. Anyway our mission was to buy a
new lap top, a few surf shorts and obviously a new board. Moving
around in Tahiti can be pretty dodgy. Buses are not really the best
solution, however better than nothing. Another option is eco-scooter:
they rent cars and scooters for less than 30 bucks per day right in
front of the Faaa Int. Airport. I personally prefer to hitchhike and
every time we meet interesting people with lots of stories to share.
The funny thing was that the first two persons I met hitchhiking were
a surfboard shaper and the wife of the owner of the biggest company
of professional kitchen equipment in French Polynesia.
Papeete is an average
nice city, as I already told something changed from the past and lots
of businesses closed down, letting their buildings become old right
in front city's main street on the esplanade. We heard also a few
stories of robber activity and tourists attacked from drunk locals,
so we pushed on the side the trusting feeling built until now going
along the Marquesas and Tuamotus and brought back the usual traveler
guard on our belongings. But Tahiti is not only Papeete.
The Captain decided to
drop the anchor in front of the Marina Tahina on a 13mt blue water
with sand bottom in good company with other hundreds boats coming
from all over the world. Tahiti is really the non return point. We
met people with different stories, but at the end of the day, they
all had a reason to remain in this place.
What do I think? Life
here is perfect but expensive. Jobs are not the easiest thing to
find. But if you can afford it, this is the place to be! Mountains
surrounding the blue lagoon, lots of fish and some of the best surf
spots in the world. People are nice and you can find anything from
food to cinema, good health care and obviously internet. The ferry to
Moorea takes only 20min and you have plenty of options of things to
do. Our experience on board of Lazy Jack is still outstanding and
even if Alice gives me hard time to keep her eyes away from the
handsome Tahitian boys that are really everywhere, often half naked
paddling on their kayak or sup while training for the 14th
July race, I try to keep myself busy and calm going surfing at
Tapuna, a world series left handed close by the boat. Fortunately I'm
back on the water thanks to Teva Bonno owner of Teva Surfbord that
after a few hours spent to talk about UZIWA and Tahiti's surf session
with the full moon, he sent me straight to his good friend from Stone
Fish board Shop to buy my new baby.
Finally I can also
provide the refrigerator with plenty of good and different food.
Every time we left the supermarket with a big smile we knew that on
the other side the Captain is on board having an heart attack in
front of is mobile connected with his credit card.
We didn't have the chance
to visit a lot the island in land, but some friends told us about
plenty options for trekking, bird watching and biking. We concentrate
our energy to repair all our technology stuff and surf as much as we
can while we were also waiting for the next two friends coming on
board. Directly from Istanbul, an hilarious and easy going couple of
doctors. They are going to spend with us the next fifteen days.
First step, moving to the
Marina in town, for our leaving party. It was nice to meet again all
the crews from Pied-à-Mer, Lorien, Family Circus, Shine, Etc...
All the boats are here
for the “rendez-vous”, the annual pirogue competition departing
from Papeete and arriving in Moorea. There are any kind of thing in
the water participating on this comp, from canoe to SUP, sailing
boats, catamarans, swimmers, etc... The same night we arrived at the
marina, we had also the chance to go out and party hard with all the
young friends from other boat. We ended up in a creepy and empty
Karaoke bar that, after the first jar of the local Hinano beer, was
the friendliest ever. As usual I found myself amazed by the
difference of the people around me.
The Captain decided to
leave to Moorea two days before the comp, and that was a very good
decision that allowed us to arrive there, set the boat in the best
spot and watch the “rendez-vous” coming to us. It was funny that
we were deciding all together where we could go snorkeling and
suddenly three turtles appeared right under our nose. That's how we
discovered that we dropped the anchor right on one of the most
amazing spot to dive with turtles. Being deep underwater is always
exiting, and for some reasons there are moments that seem to slow
down the time around you. When you take that last breath and your
head leads you down in the deep blue, I often have the feeling I
didn't breath enough. However I find myself confident and relax until
I touch the bottom. I'm surrounded by corals, silence and turtles
staring at me. Two of them not more than a meter far from my face. I
guess they are as curious as I am. They move very little and make a
tour around as if they knew they are making me an unforgettable gift.
When I look up the surface, I see Alice starting to come down as well
and my chronometer is telling me two and half minutes.
One of the first rule of
free diving is not to look up, in order to keep calm and relaxed.
Nevertheless, I like to stare at the boat's hulls and the surface of
the water while taking my body back. The enormity of the blue ocean
makes every thing small enough to let me think how much I belong to
that place.
Before leaving to
Huahine, we have the time to discover a magical unique place: not far
from the Intercontinental Hotel you can find a place in shallow water
(1,20 m and white soft sand) where schools of huge Pastenague rays
and black tip sharks come and are really glad to meet you!! These
rare stingrays are so nice and love to kiss people in the face! About
the sharks... forget about Jaws, here in Polynesia sharks are
like all other animals: si no toque, no molesta! (You don't touch,
they don't hurt!).
Concluding, Moorea is
really the perfect place if you want to escape Tahiti's crowd without
forgetting it. The ferry to Papeete is only 20 minutes so you can
even enjoy the waves in Hapiti, have a good lunch in a floating
restaurant placed in the middle of the reef and be back in town for a
movie and obviously the Karaoke at night!!!
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